Method and apparatus for lubricating knitting machines



L. A. OBERLY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec.

Dec. 6, 1955 lnven tor'. zLouis b8 M 4 14/ J fi Attor beT'LH, wa

METHQD AND APPARATUS FOR LUBRICATING KNITTING MACHINES Louis A. Gherly, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, :1 corporation of Delaware Application December 24, 1954, Serial No. 477,520

16 Claims. (Cl. 66-8) This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for lubricating the mechanical moving parts, including the knitting elements, of a knitting machine employed to knit yarn and the like into a fabric to be subsequently coated with a resin-containing plastic coating material. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of a plasticizer as the lubricant and means for applying it to the knitting machine.

In processes wherein backing fabrics are resin coated, it has been found desirable to provide at least some of the necessary amount of plasticizer for the resin-containing material directly in the fabric prior to application of the resin coating. This enhances the pick-up by the fabric of the resinous coating material in comparison to that experienced when all of the plasticizer is derived from that included in the applicating mixture of the resin-containing material. it also improves the bond which is obtained between the final resin coating and the backing fabric. The plasticizer may be preapplied to a clean, oil and wax-free fabric in any suitable manner. Advantageously, plas ticizer is provided in the fabric by constructing it with a preplasticized yarn, that is, a yarn on which there has been substituted for conventional yarn lubricant or finish that is generally applied to yarn or thread to facilitate fabric construction, a desired plasticizing substance for the resin-containing plastic coating material that is to be applied on the fabric.

Knitted fabric is advantageously employed as a backing material for resin coatings since it provides strength and flexibility in all directions making it suitable for use on other than generally straight surfaces. It has been found advantageous to finish a clean yarn or thread for purposes of knitting with the plasticizer when the plasticizer which is employed possesses suitable properties as a yarn and thread lubricating finish. For example, a clean viscose rayon yarn that is to be knit into a fabric which subsequently is intended to receive a resin coating of a vinyl polymer may advantageously be finished with certain yarn lubricating plasticizers for vinyl polymer coatings. Especially adapted for such purposes are certain organic ester plasticizers for vinyl polymers including those selected from the group consisting of tricresyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate and butyl cyclohexyl phthalate, or mixtures of any or all of these and like plasticizers. The yarn lubricating plasticizer may be employed as a finish for knitting in amounts on the yarn between about 0.5% and 25% by weight of the yarn and more advantageously in an amount between about 1% and 5% by weight of the yarn. When yarn is finished with a suitable lubricating plasticizer, the knit cloth produced therewith may ordinarily be directly coated without requiring preliminary scouring steps to freethe fabric of Waxes, oils and other deleterious materials found in conventional yarn lubricants and finishes which might inhibit adhesion of the coating.

When a pre-plasticized yarn which has been finished with a plasticizer is knit according to conventional practice, there often occurs contamination with absorbed "nited States Patent ice quantities of the mineral lubricating oil usually employed for lubricating knitting machines with consequent waste of some of the fabric produced. This is practically unavoidable when practicing such conventional lubricating techniques as flushing the moving parts of the knitting machine at periodic intervals with common knitting machine lubricating oils. The contamination with lubricating oil of a pre-plasticized cloth knit with pre-plasticized yarn interferes with subsequent good adhesion of the coating. Of course, it would overcome the advantages of knitting with a pre-plasticized yarn if a scouring or the like of the knit cloth prior to coating were required for lubricating oil decontamination of the cloth, since the plasticizer contained in the fabric would also thereby be unavoidably removed.

It would be advantageous to knit a pre-plasticized yarn which has been finished with a plasticizer without occassioning contamination of the fabric with conventional lubricating oils ordinarily employed for knitting machines. This is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by lubricating the mechanical moving parts, and particularly the knitting elements, of a knitting machine being employed for constructing knit fabric from a preplasticized yarn with a like or compatible plasticizer to that employed as a finish on the pre-plasticized yarn. Preferably, the lubricating plasticizer is continuously ap' plied to the lubricant requiring surfaces as or from an atomized mist or fog using analogous procedures with those practiced in conventional oil mist lubrication. Employment of a suitable plasticizer as a knitting machine lubricant, especially for those parts of the knitting machine in close proximity to the fabric being constructed, eliminates the possibility of contaminating the pre-plasticized fabric with ordinarily employed knitting machine lubricating oils. This facilitates production of uninterrupted clean lengths of pre-plasticized fabric which are adapted to directly receive one or more coatings of a desired resin-containing plastic coating material.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the following description and the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective schematic representation of a circular knitting machine having the knitting elements and some of its mechanical moving parts lubricated in accordance with the present invention for knitting pre-plasticized yarn;

Figure 2, in side elevation, schematically depicts some of the knitting elements of a conventional circular knitting machine lubricated by the plasticizer-mist technique;

Figures 3 and 4 perspectively illustrate segments of particular cam elements of a circular knitting machine which admit plasticizer-mist lubricant to the knitting elements contacted for actuation; and

Figure 5 illustrates schematically a layout of a plasticizer-mist generating and distributing system which may be employed on a knitting machine for its lubrication.

There is shown in Figure l a schematic representation of a conventional type of circular knitting machine, popularly known as a Wildman Spring Needle Body Machine. Such machines frequently are employed for constructing tubular knit fabric. The machine is adapted to handle pre-plasticized yarn without causing mineral lubricating oil contamination of the fabric which it is constructing by advantageously being equipped with a plasticizer-mist lubricating system for some of the moving machine parts and the knitting elements.

A plurality of ends of pre-plasticized yarn 11 are with drawn from supply cones 10 to provide a thread for each of the feeds or knitting stations of the knitting machine.

The yarn 11 is knit into a pre-plasticirzed tubular knit' cloth 17 by the knitting elements (not shown in Figure l) which are positioned within the cylinder and dial cam section 15 of the machine. The tubular knit fabric, in a pre-plasticized condition for subsequent direct application of resin-containing coating material, is taken up in a roll in the take-up assembly 20 at the bottom of the machine.

Mechanical lubrication of the knitting machine parts including the knitting elements contained Within the cylinder and dial cam section 15 and at other desired points, such as the drive shaft assembly 22 for the knitting machine, journaled in the front main bushing 23, is accomplished with a plasticizer-mist lubricating system, indicated generally by the reference numeral 40, installed on the knitting machine. The lubricating system, shown also in greater detail in Figure 5, applies the plasticizer for lubricating the machine parts from a fine atomized mist or fog of air-borne microscopic particles of plasticizer which are precipitated for application in liquid form at the desired points of lubrication.

All of the knitting elements such as the sinkers 25, the pressers 26 and spring beard needles 27, a set of which is illustrated in Figure 2 to be in the process of forming a stitch 29 while knitting the fabric 17, are lubricated with plasticizer from the mist lubricating system 40. Since the same or a similar compatible plasticizer to that on the pre-plasticized yarn is employed for machine lubrication, absorption by the yarn or fabric of machine lubricant is without significant consequence. No

contamination or waste of knit fabric occurs as when conventional mineral lubricating oils are employed for the knitting machine.

The plasticizer-mist lubricant is admitted for application to some of the knitting elements through apertures in the cam elements or through other passageways to direct the mist to the desired points of lubrication. For example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the apertures 34 and.37 may be provided and utilized to pass the plasticizer lubricant from the mist distributing system through the knock over cams 33 and the cylinder cams 36 for application on the knitting elements which pass over these cams during the knitting operation.

The plasticizer-mist lubricating system 40, as shown'in greater detail in Figure 5, is comprised of a mist or fog generating unit 43 which converts the liquid plasticizer to minute, lighter-than-air particles. A stream of compressed air for atomizing the plasticizer and carrying the mist enters the generating unit 43 through an air inlet conduit 41 from a supply source for compressed air (not shown). An air filter and water separator 42 may advantageously be positioned in the inlet conduit 41. The mist generating unit 43 may be operated according to conventional techniques to pass a stream of compressed air from the conduit 41 through a venturi (not shown) within the generating unit 43 which draws fluid plasticizer lubricant at a desired set rate from a reservoir (not shown) within the unit and thrusts it forcibly against a baffle (not shown). This atomizes the fluid plasticizer into a fine mist or fog of minute, lighter-thanair particles. Other suitable methods of mist or fog generation with compressed air may, if desired, be employed. Only the atomized particles of the plasticizer are carried with the stream of compressed air from the generating unit 43 through the delivery outlet tube 45. The delivery tube 45 leads to a manifold block 48 from which the plasticizer mist is distributed through a plurality of branch lines 50, 53, and 57 for application at desired points of lubrication on the knitting machine. Another branch tube 46 is employed to carry plasticizermist lubricant from the delivery outlet tube 45 to the front main bushing 23 for the drive shaft assembly 22.

Since most of the moving surfaces to be lubricated in knitting machines, particularly the knitting elements, do not create sufiicient turbulence to precipitate the plas ticizer directly from the mist in a fluid lubricating form, it is advantageous to employ suitable means for partially or completely precipitating the plasticizer mist during application. Such means are commonly available as condensing fittings which precipitatea lubricant mist to a wetting fog or spray or completely precipitate or condense it to fluid form. Proper applicating techniques for mist lubricants are generally well-known and commonly understood in the art. For example, the branch line 50 supplying the upper base ring of'the knitting machine may advantageously be provided at its end with a fitting 5']. for partially precipitating the plasticizer mist to a Wet fog or spray during its application as the moving parts to be lubricated at this point do not create sufiicient turbulence to adequately precipitate the plasticizer lubricant from the mist. Likewise, a similar fitting 54 may be provided on the branch line 53 which terminates in a position over the circularly disposed needles 27. The branch line 55 may also be equipped with a fitting 56 for partially precipitating the plasticizer mist to a wet fog during application to the sinkers through the aperture 37 in thecylinder cams 36. The pressers receive lubrication through the aperture 34 in the knock over cams 33 from a fitting 59 on the end of the branch line 58 which completely precipitates or condenses the plasticizer-mist lubricant during application. A similar fitting 47 at the end of the branch tube 46 converts the plasticizer mist to fluid lubricant for the front main bushing 23 of the knitting machine.

The plasticizer employed for lubricating should possess suitable properties as a knitting machine lubricant to render it commensurate with conventionally employed lubricants. For example, the plasticizer should have sufficient lubricity and should not be corrosive to machine parts. It should be stable against oxidation and have a mild odor and a light color. When employed in mist lubricating systems the Saybolt Universal viscosity of the plasticizer should not be, at room temperature, in excess of about 1000 seconds. Of course, the plasticizer must not have any deleterious influence on the yarn being knit and, as mentioned, must be compatible with the plasticizer finish employed on the pre-plasticized yarn.

Suitable plasticizers which advantageously may be employed for lubricating knitting machines knitting pre-plasticized viscose rayon and like yarns to be coated with vinyl polymers are the same as the mentioned suitable lubricating finishes for the yarns. For example, organic ester plasticizers selected from the group consisting of tricresyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate and butyl cyclohexyl phthalate, or mixtures of any or all of these plasticizers, and like plasticizers for vinyl polymers, may very advantageously be employed as machine lubricants for knitting machines which are handling pre-plasticized viscose rayon yarn finished with like or similar plasticizers.

The invention may be further understood by reference to the following example and description:

Example A style FBSS, 28 inch, Wildman Spring Needle Body Machine was equipped with a plasticizer-mist lubricating system for the machine parts to knit denier/40 filament desulphurized rayon yarn which had been preplasticized and finished with about 1 /2% by weight of the yarn ofthe plasticizer dioctyl phthalate. The preplasticized yarn was being knit into a fabric for subsequent coating with a vinyl polymer, such'as polyvinyl chloride and the like. Five points of lubrication on the knitting machine were supplied with dioctyl phthalate plasticizer mist for lubrication. There were the upper base ring, the needles, the sinkers, the pressers and the front main bushing for the drive shaft. The plasticizer-mist lubricant was continuously applied at each point of lubrication as described in the foregoing specification. The mist lubricating system was operated under about 0.75 lb. per square inch of air pressure and about 3 ounces of the plasticizer dioctyl phthalate was used for machine lubrica tion during a 24 hour period. Satisfactory operation for extended periods was experienced with this manner of lubrication. Tubular knit fabric was produced in continuous uncontaminated 300 yarn bolt lengths which were in excellent condition for coating.

In certain instances it may be necessary or desirable to incorporate anti-oxidants, corrosion inhibitors, viscosity improvers and oiliness or other additives to the plasticizer desired to be employed as a knitting machine lubricant in order to improve its performance to a satisfactory level equivalent to that obtained with standard mineral lubricating oils conventionally employed for knitting machines.

Although the invention has been particularly described in connection with plasticizers for vinyl polymers in connection with knit viscose rayon yarns and fabrics to be coated with vinyl polymer coatings, it is to be understood that it comprehends the employment of any suitable lubricating plasticizer effective uponany desired coating material in conjunction with yarn or thread of any desired origin natural, artificial or synthetic. Likewise, the lubricating method of the present invention may also be adaptable to lubricate machines for fabric construction other than circular knitting machines, suchas other types of knitting machines and looms and also for machines for the construction of non-woven fabrics.

Since certain changes in the practice of this invention may readily be made without substantially departing from its spirit or scope, it is to be understood that all the foregoing be interpreted as being merely illustrative and in no sense or manner limiting or restrictive of the invention as particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Method for lubricating a knitting machine while knitting a pre-plasticized yarn finished with a plasticizer for subsequent receipt of a resin containing plastic coating material comprising; lubricating with a compatible plasticizer to said resin containing coating material the moving parts and knitting elements of the knitting machine.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein said lubricating plasticizer and the plasticizer on the yarn are compatible.

3. Method according to claim 1 wherein said plasticizer on said pre-plasticized yarn and said lubricating plasticizer are the same.

4. Method for lubricating a knitting machine while knitting a pre-plasticized yarn finished with a plasticizer for subsequent receipt of a resin containing plastic coating material comprising; Wetting the lubricant requiring parts of said knitting machine with an atomized lubricating plasticizer.

5. Method for lubricating a knitting machine While knitting a preplasticized yarn finished with a plasticizer for subsequent receipt of a resin containing plastic coating material comprising; continuously wetting the lubricant requiring parts of said knitting machine with a lubricating plasticizer which has been precipitated to a fluid form from an air-borne, atomized mist of minute, lighterthan-air particles of said plasticizer.

6. Method according to claim 5 wherein said lubricating plasticizer and the plasticizer on the yarn are compatible.

7. Method according to claim 5 wherein said plasticizer on said pre-plasticized yarn and said lubricating plasticizer are the same.

8. Method for lubricating a knitting machine while knitting a pre-plasticized viscose rayon yarn finished with a plasticizer for subsequent receipt of a resin coating of a vinyl polymer comprising; continuously wetting the lubricant requiring parts of said knitting machine a lubricating plasticizer for said vinyl resin coating which has been precipiated to a fluid form from an air-borne, atomized mist of minute, lighter-than-air particles of said plasticizer.

9. In the method according to claim 8 wherein said plasticizer on said pre-plasticized yarn and said lubricating plasticizer are organic ester plasticizers for said resin containing a vinyl polymer selected from the group consisting of tricresyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate and butyl cyclohexyl phthalate.

10. In the method according to claim 8 wherein said plasticizer on said pre-plasticized yarn and said lubricating plasticizer is dioctyl phthalate.

11. In the method according to claim 8 wherein said knitting machine is a circular knitting machine for producing a tubular knit fabric.

12. In combination with a knitting machine for knitting pre-plasticized yarn finished with a plasticizer for subsequent receipt of a resin containing plastic coating material; means for wetting the lubricant requiring parts of said knitting machine with an atomized lubricating plasticizer.

13. In combination with a knitting machine for knitting pre-plasticized yarn finished with a plasticizer for subsequent receipt of a resin containing plastic coating material; means for atomizing a lubricating plasticizer; means for distributing said atomized plasticizer to the lubricant requiring parts of said knitting machine; and means for precipitating said atomized plasticizer as a wetting fluid on said lubricating requiring parts.

14. In combination with a knitting machine for knitting pre-plasticized yarn finished with a plasticizer for subsequent receipt of a resin containing plastic coating material; a mist generating unit for atomizing a lubricating plasticizer with compressed air into minute, lighterthan-air particles; conduits for distributing said atomized plasticizer from said generating unit to the lubricant requiring parts of said knitting machine; and condensing means terminating said conduits for precipitating said atomized plasticizer as a wetting fluid on said lubricant requiring parts.

15. In the combination of claim 14 wherein some of the lubricant requiring parts of said knitting machine are knitting elements.

16. In the combination of claim 14 wherein the knitting machine is a circular knitting machine for producing a tubular knit fabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,977,611 Banigan Oct. 23, 1934 2,414,887 Miller Jan. 28, 1947 2,556,007 Slagle June 5, 1951 2,642,156 Gothberg et al. June 16, 1953 

1. METHOD FOR LUBRICATING A KNITTING MACHINE WHILE KNITTING A PRE-PLASTICIZED YARN FINISHED WITH A PLASTICIZER FOR SUBSEQUENT RECEIPT OF A RESIN CONTAINING PLASTIC COATING MATERIAL COMPRISING; LUBRICATING WITH A COMPATIBLE PLASTICIZER TO SAID RESIN CONAINING COATING MATERIAL THE MOVING PARTS AND KNITTING ELEMENTS OF THE KNITTING MACHINE. 